Power actuated garment and like presses



Oct. 26, 1948.

C. E. FEASEY POWER ACTUATED GARMENT AND LIKE PRESSES 2 Shets-Sheet 1 "Filed Feb. 1'7, 1945 Oct. 26, 1948. c. E FEASEY POWER ACTUATED GARMENT AND LIKE PRESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1945 FIG. 3.

/ Ar/A-7/47*/47 Ar/ 7 Patented Oct. 26, 1948 POWER ACTUATED GARMENT AND LIKE 'PRESSES Charles Edward Feasey, Enfield, England, assignor to James Armstrong & Company Limited, London, England, a corporation of Great Britain Application February 17, 1945 Serial No. 578,431 In Great Britain April 30, 1941 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires April 30, 1961 2 Claims. (o1. 38-35) This invention relates to garment and like presses of the kind comprising an ironing head or upper buck, hereinafter called the head, and a lower padded buck on which the work to be pressed is spread, with power operated means for efiecting pressure between the head and the buck.

Garment presses of the kind indicated may be divided into two main types. In one type of press which is that in more general use the head is movable and is pressed downwardly to the fixed lower buck, the head being carried on a pivoted arm to which power is applied through toggle mechanism or other appropriate power transmisslon means from a fluid pressure piston and cylinder arrangement. The other main type of press may be termed the upward pressure type, as in such presses the head is fixed, and the buck is moved upwardly to press the garment or other work between it and the head.

In upward pressure type presses usually the lower buck is arranged to be swung in a, horizontal plane from a loading position into a position in which it becomes associated with a ram or other pressing device which can then operate to force the buck upwardly, but there have been proposed upward pressure type presses in which the lower buck is carried by supporting means pivoting on a fixed horizontal axis or axes, the buck swinging from a forward loading and unloading position in front of the vertical plane containing the said axis or axes to a pressing position in or rearward of said vertical plane. In these proposed presses there is operatively associated with the buck support or carrier the piston of a fixedly mounted power cylinder, which efie-cts both the swinging movement of the buck, to bring it from its loading position into pressing position, and the closing movement, and also applies and maintains the pressure of the lower buck against the fixed head.

The press according to the present invention is of the upward pressure type and also of the kind in which the means carrying the lower buck pivots about a fixedly located horizontal axis so that the buck swings from a loading position forwardly of the vertical plane containing the said axis to a pressing position rearwardly of said plane, and. the object of the invention is to provide an improved press of this kind which shall be of simple construction and which, in addition to being safe to operate, shall be such that the weight of the lower buck will be counterbalanced or largely counterbalanced by the weight of the power applying device thereby rendering the press such that little effort is needed to swing the-said buck from loading to pressing position, and vice versa. A press according to the inventionalso is such that not only can the moving element of the power applying device he in constant operative association with the lower buck carrier or support means, but also such that said element canlbe directly and rigidly connected to said carrier; thus the lower back carrier can be constituted by the piston rod of the power applying cylinder, thereby eliminating all linkage, sliding cross heads, or other power transmission means between the moving element of the power apply ing device and the carrier.

The press embodyin the invention afiords many advantages over presses of both the main types above referred to as at present constructed, amongst the advantages being a large reduction in the number of parts andconsiderable simplification of the piping arrangements as well as 'a reduction in the floor space occupied a compared with upward pressure presses of similar capacity in which the buck is swung in a. horizontal plane from loading to pressing position and vice versa.

In a garment or like press according to this invention the power applying cylinder of the press is incorporated in the lower portion ofthe movable unit thereof and with or without an additional weight or weights is disposed in relation to the pivotal axis of the unit in such manner that the lower portion of the unit almost counterbalances the upper portion thereof which in cludes the lower buck,

In an embodiment of the invention the moving element of the power-applyin piston and cylinder arrangement is directly and rigidly connected to the lower buck carrying means. Furthen'the supply of fluid under pressure to the power applying cylinder to cause upward pressure of the buck against the head is effected as the buck unit reaches, and whilst it occupies, the pressing position, means being provided for exhausting pressure from said cylinder to release the press.

As the pivotal centre of the lower buck unit preferably is so disposed that the power applying cylinder alone or with an associated weight or weights almost counterbalances the buck, so that little energy is needed to move the unit from the loading to the pressing position and vice versa, it is convenient for the buck and power unit to be moved by hand to and from its position of rest, but if desired, the machine may incorporate provisions for moving the said unit by power.

Preferably the arc of movement of the lower buck is such that its loading and pressing positions are equidistantly spaced from the centreline of the machine forwardly and rearwardly 3 thereof with the distribution of weight of the unit relative to its pivotal centre such that the buck portion of the unit slightly over-balances the cylinder portion and thus when moved into either the loading or pressing position will remain therein until action is taken t move it into its other position. With the parts disposed as just mentioned the head curves or slopes downwardly to its rear edge so that drainage of its hollow interior constituting its steam chamber is facilitated.

Advantageously, the machine incorporates means whereby as the buck reaches the pressing position power is applied automatically to move it upwardly and press the work against the head. The invention however is not limited in this respect as, if desired, the supply of power to the machine may be manually controlled, arrangements being included whereby such supply could be efiected only when the buck is in the pressing position.

Any convenient form of releasing means for the press may be provided and when two machines are arranged to be used by a single operator, provisions may be included whereby the closing of one press will release the other and cause or permit the buck of such other press to be moved into loading position.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a garment press according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a garment press according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates in section and to a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2, the pedahactuated press release valve-andthe controlvalve actuated automatically by the buck unit shown in each of those figures, with portions of the associatedpiping, and

Fig. 4 is a, fragmentary view, partly sectional, of the means illustrated in Figs. land 2 for guiding the buck unit in its movement from its. loading position to its pressing position, and vice versa.

The presses illustrated in the drawings will now be described with reference to such drawings, and as the description proceeds, reference will be made to advantages arising from the inclusion of certain features of construction. In ,a press according to the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 the main frame or pedestal I of the machine has an arm or bracket 2 extending rearwardly and upwardly from it and cranked or turnedforwardly to carry the fixed upper buck or head 3. Trunnioned at 4 in suitable bearings in the main frame or'pedestal I is the head 5 of the power applying cylinder B of the press, such head having a relatively long bearing 1 for the rod 8 of a piston 9 reciprocable in the cylinder. In the construction shown a dished member constitutes boththe cylinder proper and its base or end cover H). The piston rod 8 extends upwardly from the cylinder 6 and through a; guide slot in the top of the frame or pedestal I, this slot extending in a direction from front to rear of the machine. Conveniently and as shown, the sides of the slot are fitted with removable, and thus renewable, wearing strips I I forming the guides, and the piston rod 8 carries an appropriately surfaced member I2 adapted to work between the said guides.

Preferably and as shown, the piston-rod 8 carries a work table I3, and the member I2 is constituted by the boss of this table which serves to mount the table on the piston rod. At its upper end the piston rod 8 carries the lower buck I4 of the machine which is padded and clothed or V.-

. machine.

cred as usual. Below the lower buck M at a suitable distance therefrom the combined power cylinder and buck unit is provided with a handle I5 for swinging the buck, such handle conveniently being mounted on or adjacent the front edge of the work table I3 mounted on the piston rod. Suitable'buifers or spring stops I6, [I are carried by the frame or pedestal I against which the piston rod comes to rest in the loading and pressing positions of the buck, respectively, the rear buffer I! being accurately positioned to ensure that when the unit is brought to rest thereagainst, the buck I4 will occupy the correct pressing position relative to the head 3. In the construction shown the boss I2 of the table I 3 is rectangular in cross section, its front and rear faces contacting the buffers I 6, I 1 respectively, while its remaining two flat sides co-operate with the guide strips II.

The machine includes piping (not shown) for conveying steam to the steam chamber in the head 3 and other piping I8 for conveying drainage from the said chamber, as well aspiping I9, 20, 2I to carry compressed air from the supply to the pressing cylinder 6. Also included are the valve 22 controlling supply of compressed air to the cylinder 6 and a release valve 23, Fig. 3, means such as a treadle lever 24, fulcrumed at 25, Fig. 3, in the pedestal I, being provided in aposition convenient for actuationby an operator for operating such release valve'23, through the rod 26. As usual a silencer is mounted on the machine through which air exhausting from the power cylinder 6 passes to atmosphere. In addition, there is provided at an appropriate distance from the front of the main frame or pedestal I and at a suitable height above ground, a guard rail 28, the purpose of which will be indicated later. Some description will also be given later of certain constructional details conveniently employed in certain of the devices to which reference has already been made.

In working with a machine constructed according to the particular embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the operator asusual, spreads or arranges the garment or other article toloe pressed on the lower buck HI, which, with a machine according to the invention will be inits forward or loading position. When the work has been satisfactorily positioned on the buck I4, the operator will swing the buck unit into the pressing position shown in dotted lines. When the unit has nearlyreached its pressing position, an appropriate portion thereof, as shown the piston rod 8, actuates the power supply valve 22 opening same to cause compressed air to pass to the cylinder 6. Thereupon, the piston 9 of the cylinder 6 moves upwardly and forces the buck I4 towards the head 3, pressing the garment between these parts as will be understood. After an appropriate interval, the operator actuates the release valve 23' and fluid pressure will be exhausted from the cylinder 6, the unit moving downwardly to a limited extent. The operator will then swing the unit into loading position and remove the pressed garment, reloading the ma-- chine and repeating the operations as will be appreciated without further description.

With the buck l4 in the loading position it lies an appropriate distance forward of the front edge of the steam heated head 3 and thus there is no liability of the operators hand or arm contacting the heated head when loading or unloading the As usual in clothes presses the opposed su faces O the buck I4 and head 3 are .convex and concave respectively, and the curvature is necessary to provide any form of so-called two-' hand control such as is commonly employed for preventing the hands of the operator being caught between the pressing elements. Such controls, which are well known, require simultaneous action by both hands of the operator to close the press. However, a two-hand control may be pro-- vided, if desired, and/or the machine may be equipped with a guard or fence moved automatically into obstructive position in front of thepressing elements a the buck approaches its pressing position, and moved automatically out of obstructive position as the buck commences to move towards its unloading position.

If desired, means may be provided for heating the lower buck 14, such means conveniently consisting of a steam coil arranged in a suitably shaped grooving or channelling in the base plate or member of the buck, with suitable valve means for controlling the supply of steam to the coil, 29 being a portion of flexible tubing conveying exhaust steam and condensate from the buck M to the T-fitting 30 for disposal as desired.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, which has .been described, the buck M is swung .to and from pressing position by hand, but if desired, the machine may include a small cylinder 3!, Fig. 2, for swinging the buck unit. As shown in Fig. 2, the cylinder 3| is pivotally mounted at 32 on the main frame'or pedestal l with its piston rod pivotally connected at 33 to the piston rod 8 of the main pressing cylinder and a valve or valves 34 for operation by the operator (preferably two valves constituting a two hand control) would be mounted on the guard rail 28 or in some other appropriate position, the arrangement being such that with the buck I4 in the loading position when the control valve or valves 34 is or are operated, compressed air would be admitted to the swinging cylinder 3i and move the unit into pressing position, power for pressing being supplied automatically by the valve 22 to the cylinder 6 in the manner already described with reference to Fig. 1. On the release arrangements being operated, not only will fluid pressure be exhausted from the main cylinder 6, but will also be exhausted from the swinging cylinder 3!, and the buck M will be moved back into loading position by appropriate spring or pneumatic means. Where the buck unit is power swung, it is preferable to include in the machine a double acting dashpot or fluid check device 35 as an alternative for, or, as shown, in addition to the buifers or spring stops I6, I! for the unit which have already been referred to in the description with reference to Fig. 1.

The valve devices incorporated in the machine may be of any suitable type. Conveniently, and as shown in Fig. 3, the automatically actuated valve 22 controlling the supply of compressed air to the power cylinder 6 is of the lift type, and is spring loaded. The spindle 36 of the valve 22 is adapted to be engaged by the piston rod 8 of the power applying cylinder of the buck unit immediately before such unit reaches the pressing position, the rod in the final portion of the movement of the unit to such position forcing the valve 22' off its seat against the air pressure, and the re action 'of the loading spring. Preferably the valve spindle 36 wouldbe equipped with an antifriction roller 3 1 adapted to be contacted by the piston rod 8.

Interposed between the pipe 1'9 leading from the source of supply of compressed airand the automatically actuated control valve 22 is the release valve means 23 under control of the operator.

Conveniently, thesemeans include a double acting 1 spring loaded valve member normally closing communication between the automatic valve 22 via a port 38 and the atmosphere by way of a port: 33 and the usual exhaust silencer 21, such doubleacting valve member being adapted, when moved by the rod '26 operable by the release treadle or the equivalent, to release the press to open com-' munication between the cylinder '6 and the atmosphere, and :toclose communication via a port 4.0, the port 38 and valve 22, between the source 39 of the release valve in the order stated. Afterthe power cylinder 6 has been exhausted, and before the release valve 23 is restored tonormal, the movement of the buck unit towards the loading position will be commenced. 'The' initial movement of the piston rod 8 away from its pressing position will permit the automatic valve 22 too'lose and out off communication between the compressed air supply and the power cylinder 6,

whereupon the release. valve 23 may be allowed to return to normal and again open communication between the source of supply of compressed air and the automatic valve.

Unless themovin-g lower buck is equipped with steam heating means or with means forpulling' or drawing air from the buck only a single Indy-- able .or flexible pipe connection is required in the machine, this. being the connection '20 for the compressed air from the automatic valve 22 to the cylinder 6, and to minimize the movement or flexing of this pipe, the latter is joined to the duct 2| leading to the cylinder as near as practicable to the pivotal axis of the cylinder and lower buck unit.

To obtain an arc of movement of the lower buck of the necessary length, the pivotal axis of the unit comprising the buck is disposed relatively close to the cylinder in the lower portion of the frame or pedestal of the machine as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The piston rod 8 constitutes a lever or sway beam, and, with the pivotal point disposed as stated, such lever has a longer and shorter arm. To compensate for the greater leverage in the longer arm carrying the buck I4, and it may be, carrying also the table l3, 2. suitable weight or weights 4| may be added if necessary to the cylinder, for example, to its lower cover. Conveniently, the cylinder cover 5 has upwardly exshort, the stroke is such that the piston at all times will setup effective pressure on the work, notwithstanding compacting of the padding and clothing of thebuck, or differences in the thickness of the work, so that mechanicalmeans for adjusting the pressure between the buck and the head are not required. 9

WhatIclaimis: n,

1. In a garment or like press, thecombination of a main frame, a stationary ironing head mounted on said frame in a'fixedlocation at'the rear of the press, a movable unit pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in said frame to swing about a horizontal axis and having the portion above said pivotal axis of materiallygreater length than the portion below "said axis, a buck comprised in and forming the upper end portion of said unit and movable through an arcuate path by swinging movements of said unit about its axis from a forward loading position clear of said head into a rearward 'pressin'g position beneath said head, and vice versa, a power applying cylinder for said buck effective tomove it upwardly when it is in its pressing position, said cylinder being incorporated in the portion of said movable unit below the pivotal axis thereof and rendering the weight of such portion suflicient almost to counterbalance the upper portion of the unit including the buck, valve means automatically actuated as the buck reaches its pressing position to'supply fluid under pressure to said power applying cylinder to cause upward pressure of the buck against the ironing head, and means for exhausting pressure fluid from said cylinder to release the press.

2, In a garment or like press, the combination of a main frame, a stationary ironing head mounted on said frame in a fixed location at the rear of the press, a movable unit pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in said frame to swing about a horizontal axis and having the portion above said pivotal axis of 'materially greater length than the portion below said axis,

a buckcomprised in and forming the upper end portion of said unit and movable through an arcuate path by swinging movements of said unit about its axis from a forward loading position clear of said head into a rearward pressing position beneath said head, and vice versa, a power applying cylinder for said buck effective to move it upwardly when it is in its pressing position, said cylinder being incorporated in the portion of said movable unit below the pivotal axis thereof and rendering the weight of such portion sufficient almost to counterbalance the upper portion of the unit including the buck, cylinder and piston means for swinging the movable buck unit from its loading position into its pressing position, valve means operable by the press operator for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to and its exhaust from said unit swinging cylinder, valve means automatically actuated as the buck reaches its pressing position to supply fluid under pressure to said power applying cylinder to cause upward pressure of the buck against the ironing head, and means for exhausting pressure fluid from said power applying cylinder to release the press.

CHARLES EDWARD FEASEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,303,257 Couch et a1. May 13, 1919 1,792,519 'Titterington Feb. 17, 1931 2,041,009 Matthews May 19, 1936 2,041,923 Hanney' May 26, 1936 2,052,045 I-Iigley Aug. 25, 1936 2,266,425 Kahn Dec. 16, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 548,913 Great Britain Oct. 9, 1942 

